Judged According to Your Works, Whether They be Good or Evil

I believe that the scriptures which reference that we are judged according to our works, can be misunderstood. Let me illustrate by asking a question: Do you want God to be fair with you when you are brought to stand before Him to be judged of your works? Most of us, without thinking, would probably say yes. But if you really think about it, the last thing we should want is God's justice, but rather His mercy. So the question becomes: How do we obtain the mercy of God? And understand that it is an either/or: You either receive the Justice of God or His Mercy.

Christ said "my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil--And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works" (3 Nephi 27:14-15 emphasis added).

This seems very straight forward and most of us would think that we better have some good works to be judged by. But we must understand that we never want to be judged by our works, since we have all sinned and have all fallen short of the glory of God.

Christ goes on to tell us how to avoid the judgment of God. "And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold him will I hold guiltless before my father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world" (3 Nephi 27:16 emphasis added).

Alma said that mercy claims the repentant and justice claims the unrepentant. Through the plan of redemption, we have been granted the blessing of repentance, "which repentance mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature" (Alma 42:22). He goes on to say that "mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice" (Alma 42:23). But the penitent are not judged according to their works because they are held guiltless before God because of the mercy of God.

"...justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved" (Alma 42:24 emphasis added).

So don't make the mistake of thinking that because of all your 'good works' you will be saved. We don't even want to be judged by our 'good works' since that invites the Justice of God. Good works do not save us. Only Christ does through repentance.